The sectional boat art is characterized, for example, by the following U.S. patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,650,376 issued Sept. 1, 1953, to B. L. Sommer, pertains to a sectional boat in which the sections nest for storage. The connections or interface between adjacent boat sections interlock to form a substantially rigid boat. The adjacent sections are bolted together.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,741,782 which issued Apr. 17, 1956 to O. A. Muller, pertains to multiple section boat which apparently is clamped together by toggle clamps, or the like. Details of the actual connection are not available.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,879,525 which issued Mar. 31, 1959 to J. W. Fitzgerald is for a sectional boat wherein the parts or sections are bolted together with a particular-shaped bolt.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,977,607 issued Apr. 4, 1961 to J. R. Roblee for a sectional boat which is adapted to be carried upon a hiker's back. The sections nest, and adjacent sections are held together with bolts and wing nuts.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,067 issued Aug. 16, 1966 to W. W. Windle for a sectional boat wherein the bottoms of the adjacent sections are held together by upstanding posts on one section fitting into holes on the adjacent section, and including spacing between adjacent sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,322 issued May 7, 1968 to W. A. Cook for a sectional boat wherein adjacent sections are connected by cable for tension loads on the boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,414 issued Sept. 10, 1968 to W. W. Windle teaches a sectional boat wherein the boat sections are held together with upstanding pyramidal studs fitting into slots on the forward end of the bottom of the next rearward section.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,834 issued July 27, 1971 to R. D. Steensen for a sectional boat wherein the sections are clamped together with special clamps.
The above-described sectional boats suffer from alignment and stress-concentration problems, difficulty in manufacturing and difficulty in assembly which the apparatus of this application is designed to overcome.